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Babylon (Skindred album)

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Babylon
2002 release cover
Studio album by
Skindred
Released3 July 2002
Studio
Genre
Length51:06
Label
ProducerHoward Benson
Skindred chronology
Babylon
(2002) 		Roots Rock Riot
(2007)
Babylon
2004 release cover
Singles from Babylon
  1. "Nobody"
    Released: 3 October 2005
  2. "Pressure"
    Released: 6 February 2006

Babylon is the debut studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Skindred. The band was formed from members of the disbanded band Dub War, including leader Benji Webbe, and signed to RCA Records in 2002, who released the album on 3 July. The band felt that they were being treated poorly by the label, and left in 2004, signing with Bieler Bros. Records, who released the album internationally in association with Lava Records. Each version released featured a significantly altered track listing.

Promotion of the album included performing on a tour led by Korn. Two singles were released: "Nobody" and "Pressure", for which music videos were produced. Babylon has been well received by critics for its fusion of alternative metal and reggae. In 2004, the album peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart, number five on the Top Heatseekers chart and at number 189 on the Billboard 200. In 2006, the album again ranked at number one on the Top Reggae Albums chart.

History

[edit]

Singer Benji Webbe formed Skindred in 1998 with bassist Daniel Pugsley, guitarist Jeff Rose and drummer Martyn "Ginge" Ford after Webbe was unable to put together a new project featuring other members of his former band, Dub War.[1] Skindred recorded their debut album, Babylon, with producer Howard Benson. The album was first released in 2002 by RCA Records,[2] and reissued in 2003 with an altered track listing, achieving some success in Europe and amongst fans of heavy metal in the underground music scene in the United States.[1] Band members Martyn "Ginge" Ford and Jeff Rose left the band following the release of the album, citing poor treatment by RCA.[2] The band left RCA to sign with Bieler Bros. Records, who released the album internationally in association with Lava Records in 2004. This version featured different artwork, removed the songs "Falling Down," "Kiss and Make Up," and "Together", and included new interludes featuring dancehall musicians Jatoman Busha and Herbius Darussalam, and four new songs: "Start First", "We Want", "Tears" and "The Beginning of Sorrows".[1]

Music

[edit]

Babylon features a style which the band refers to as "ragga metal", fusing heavy metal, punk rock and reggae influences.[3][4] Benji Webbe has also jokingly referred to the band's musical style as "nu-reggae", in reference to the term nu metal.[5] In his review of the album, AllMusic critic Johnny Loftus wrote that Babylon brought a new edge to the "blasé world" of rap rock, writing that "Emerging from the ashes of Dub War, Benji Webbe and company eschew that band's fetish for freely shifting sounds, in favor of a more focused ragga-rap-metal attack. It's not merely a facsimile of last year's money-making metal model. No, what little repetition does exist here comes from the dancehall influence, the harping and chatting over a nonstop groove."[6]

IGN reviewer Justin Falzon compares Webbe to "a flexible mesh of Jonathan Davis and Beenie Man", writing that "comparing his apparent vocal mastery to any one (or two) artists is nigh impossible. He screams, he wails, he growls, he rolls, and he jumps all over the register at will; it's an altogether astounding virtuoso performance. Unfortunately the music itself - slightly less funk than 311, slightly more punk than Limp Bizkit, and much more reggae than both - can't possibly keep up with Webbe's vocal apocalypse."[7]

Release

[edit]

Skindred toured in promotion of the album alongside Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle and Instruction, in a tour led by Korn. The band also performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.[8] The first single from the album, "Nobody", was released on 3 October 2005.[9] A second edition of the single was released the same day, containing a remix of the song.[10] A music video for "Nobody" was produced, and appeared in solid rotation on Fuse TV and MTV2.[8]

The second single from the album, "Pressure", was released as a 7" on 6 February 2006. It contained the album version of the song and the "Happy Roses Baggy Mix" of "World Domination".[11][12] A CD single of "Pressure" was released on 6 February 2006. It contained the album version of the song, the "Drum N Bass Fix Pressure" remix, and the non-album track "Rude Boy 4 Life", as well as an enhanced CD feature containing the song's music video.[13]

In the United States, the album charted at #1 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart, #5 on the Top Heatseekers chart and at #189 on the Billboard 200, and the single "Nobody" peaked at #14 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and at #23 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2004.[14] In 2005, the single "Pressure" peaked at #30 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[14] In 2006, Babylon once again charted at #1 on the Top Reggae Albums chart.[14]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]
Audio Video Revolution[16]
Eagle Eyefavourable[17]
IGN(7.7/10)[18]
TuneLabfavourable[19]

Critical response to the album was positive. AllMusic critic Johnny Loftus wrote that "Skindred doesn't seem to consciously want the reinvention tag; it has simply tapped into the same lack of pretension that fueled Korn and Living Colour's Vivid -- records that were made visionary by an unadulterated honesty in both delivery and craft. [...] highly recommended for fans of literate genre jumpers like Soulfly and System of a Down, or any heshers looking for some heavy-hitting firepower that hasn't fallen victim to the anvil of corporate assimilation."[6] IGN reviewer Justin Falzon called the album "a welcome attempt to innovate today's mainstream metal", writing that it "can be decidedly erratic, but nonetheless fascinating and difficult to dismiss" and concludes that "Skindred manages to place themselves outside the cookie-cutter conventions, nearly pulling off something fresh in the process."[7]

Audio Video Revolution reviewer Paul Lingas wrote that "most of the tracks are somewhat short, but too many of them blend one right into the other and end up sounding like noise [...] look for Skindred to plant themselves firmly on the map with this debut album."[20] TuneLab reviewer Jay described Babylon as "Party beach-type music for metalheads",[21] and Eagle Eye reviewer Edward Savoy called Skindred "the musically enlightened head-bangers dream".[22]

Track listing

[edit]

Three editions of the album were released, each with a different track listing.[23][24][25]

  • All songs written by Skindred except where noted.
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Set It Off" 3:03
2."Kiss and Make Up" 3:43
3."Pressure" 3:22
4."Sicker" 4:00
5."Selector" 2:23
6."Babylon" 3:34
7."The Fear"Skindred, Strummer, Jones, Simonon, & Headon3:46
8."Bruises" 2:42
9."Together" 3:31
10."World Domination" 2:24
11."Nobody
  • "Vampire Killa"
 8:18
Total length:48:17
  • "The Fear" contains elements sampled from "London Calling"
  • "Vampire Killa" is a Hidden track.
    • 2003 edition
    No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
    1."Set It Off"SkindredSkindred3:03
    2."Nobody"SkindredSkindred3:56
    3."Babylon"SkindredSkindred3:34
    4."Selector"SkindredSkindred2:23
    5."Firing the Love"SkindredSkindred3:37
    6."Pressure"SkindredSkindred3:31
    7."Bruises"SkindredSkindred2:42
    8."The Fear"Skindred
    		3:46
    9."Falling Down"SkindredSkindred3:12
    10."Kiss and Make Up"SkindredSkindred3:43
    11."World Domination"SkindredSkindred2:24
    12."Together
    • "Brainkiller"
    		SkindredSkindred7:44
    Total length:43:55
  • "Brainkiller" is a Hidden track.
    • 2004 editiona
    No.TitleLyricsMusicProducerLength
    1."Intro" 
    • Ginge
    • Benji
    • Dan
    • Jason Bieler
    • Skindred
    		0:28
    2."Nobody"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson3:56
    3."Pressure"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson3:31
    4."Start First"SkindredSkindred
    • Jason Bieler
    • Skindred
    		2:49
    5."Interlude 1" (featuring Herbius Darussalam)  
    • Jason Bieler
    • Skindred
    		0:16
    6."Selector"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson2:23
    7."Bruises"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson2:42
    8."We Want"SkindredSkindred
    • Jason Bieler
    • Skindred
    		3:01
    9."Interlude 2" (featuring Jatoman Busha)  
    • Jason Bieler
    • Skindred
    		0:28
    10."Set It Off"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson3:03
    11."Firing the Love"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson3:37
    12."Tears"SkindredSkindred
    • Jason Bieler
    • Skindred
    		3:00
    13."World Domination"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson2:24
    14."The Fear"Skindred
    		Howard Benson3:46
    15."Interlude 3" 
    • Ginge
    • Benji
    • Jason Bieler
    • Skindred
    		0:26
    16."Babylon"SkindredSkindredHoward Benson3:34
    17."The Beginning of Sorrows SkindredSkindred
  • Jason Bieler
  • Skindred
    		• 11:06
    Total length:51:06
    • "Pressure (Acoustic)" appears as a Hidden track.

    Personnel

    [edit]

    Information taken from AllMusic.[26]

    Musicians

    [edit]
    • Benji Webbe — vocals
    • Daniel Pugsley — bass
    • Mikey Demus — guitar
    • Jeff Rose — guitar
    • Martyn Ford — drums

    Additional personnel

    [edit]
    • Brandon Abeln — assistant
    • Howard Benson — keyboards, producer
    • Aaron Bieler — A&R
    • Jason Bieler — producer, mixing, A&R
    • Christina Dittmar — art direction
    • Martyn Ford — digital editing
    • Mike Fuller — mastering
    • Gersh — drum technician
    • Andrew Goldman — engineer, mixing
    • David Holdrege — pro-tools
    • Ted Jensen — mastering
    • Andrew Karp — A&R
    • Per Kviman — A&R
    • Jason Lader — digital editing
    • Eric Miller — engineer, digital editing
    • Martie Muhoberac — production coordination
    • Keith Nelson — guitar technician
    • Johnny O. — digital editing
    • Mark Obriski — design
    • Mike Plotnikoff — engineer, digital editing
    • F. Scott Schafer — photography
    • Rick "Soldier" Will — mixing

    Notes

    [edit]
    • ^a This track listing reflects the United Kingdom release, as the version released in the United States does not contain the track "We Want".[25]

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ a b c Loftus, Johnny. "Biography of Skindred". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
    2. ^ a b "Jeff / Ginge Statement upon leaving Skindred". Dub War. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
    3. ^ "Last chance to catch Skindred". Express and Echo. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 26 December 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
    4. ^ "Skindred set to storm into action". South Wales Evening Post. 5 April 2006. Archived from the original on 26 December 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
    5. ^ Briggs, Newt (9 September 2004). "Dread head". Las Vegas Mercury. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
    6. ^ a b Loftus, Johnny. "Review of Babylon". Allmusic. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    7. ^ a b Falzon, Justin (12 April 2005). "Review of Babylon". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    8. ^ a b "UK ragga-metal band Skindred lands Korn tour alongside Breaking Nejamin and Instruction". The Gauntlet. 9 November 2004. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    9. ^ "Information for "Nobody" (CD #1)". Allmusic. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    10. ^ "Information for "Nobody" (CD #2)". Allmusic. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    11. ^ "Information for "Pressure" (1 Track)". Allmusic. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    12. ^ "Information for "Pressure" (7")". Discogs. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    13. ^ "Information for "Pressure"". Allmusic. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    14. ^ a b c "Charts and awards for Babylon". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
    15. ^ Allmusic review
    16. ^ Audio Video Revolution review Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
    17. ^ Eagle Eye review Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
    18. ^ IGN review
    19. ^ TuneLab review Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine
    20. ^ Lingas, Paul (31 August 2004). "Review of Babylon". Audio Video Revolution. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
    21. ^ Jay (6 September 2004). "Review of Babylon". TuneLab. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
    22. ^ Savoy, Edward (17 November 2004). "Eclecticism Amuck". Edward Savoy. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
    23. ^ Skindred (July 2002). Babylon. RCA Records. UPC 743219477323.
    24. ^ Skindred (April 2003). Babylon. Bieler Bros. UPC 044007502228.
    25. ^ a b Skindred (14 August 2004). Babylon. Lava/Bieler Bros. UPC 075679330420.
    26. ^ "Credits for Babylon". Allmusic. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
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